Iqaluit homeowners group to revive itself before municipal election, referendum

There’s a need for an advocate for homeowners”

SAMANTHA DAWSON

Iqaluit homeowners' association plans to meet Sept. 18. (FILE PHOTO)

The interim board of the Iqaluit Homeowners Association, the Namminiq Angirraliit Iqalunni, wants to revitalize itself.

The first step: an annual general meeting 7:00 p.m. Sept. 18, inside the Arctic Winter Games Arena lobby.

“The whole focus is to bring it back into good standing,” acting president Jamal Shirley said.

That association has not been in good standing with the Government of Nunavut’s legal registries for several years.

“NAIA was then not in good standing with Nunavut legal registries and the interim committee’s sole focus has been to bring NAIA back into good legal standing, which we achieved earlier this spring,” Shirley said.

The interim board also did some work to recruit new association members and to identify potential sources of funding to support the operations of the committee, but its members deliberately deferred involvement in policy and programs, he said.

The interim board members then went through documents and they “quickly realized” they had to go through the process of becoming properly registered.

Because the current officers were never elected, the AGM will be held to find out who wants to take the reins “at this critical time,” Shirley said.

If members show interest in electing a new board, that’s what will happen.

It’s a critical time because of the upcoming ratepayers referendum on whether the city may borrow up to $40 million, he said.

As well, Iqaluit continues to grow, he added.

And there are homeowners in Iqaluit who need support and the ability to raise concerns with each other, whether it be about renovations and repairs, or understanding mortgages.

“There’s a need for an advocate for homeowners,” Shirley said.

The Iqaluit Homeowners Association, in a “recovery phase” since February 2011 when the current board was formed, won’t say what their views are on the ratepayers referendum this October.

That is until a new board is elected at the AGM.

“The current interim committee was not elected by members and as such is not in a position to represent members’ interests on critical matters such as the upcoming ratepayers referendum; the new full NAIA board, to be elected at the AGM, will be able to do so,” Shirley said.

Still, such an association will be important and valuable to homeowners in Iqaluit, he said.